


Small

by ShortcakeYard



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 07:06:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29364465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShortcakeYard/pseuds/ShortcakeYard
Summary: It’s Hermione’s birthday and Narcissa got her a present. They agreed on something small, but seem to have very different views on what is actually small, and what is… well,not.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Comments: 12
Kudos: 95





	Small

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've written in 6+ years, the first time I've written in English, and the first time I tried writing for this pairing. Welp. Please be kind! 
> 
> Inspired by [this Tumblr post](https://noididntdude.tumblr.com/post/641234438238486528/andromeda-what-are-you-getting-hermione-for-her)
> 
> This one shot was not proofread, so all mistakes are mine. Please feel free to point them out to me, so I can fix them :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Hermione took out the chocolate cake and put it on the kitchen counter, delighted at the amazing smell. Just as she closed the oven door, she felt two arms snake around her waist, and with a smile on her face, she leant into the warm body behind her.

“That smells delicious, Hermione, but I still can’t believe you wanted to bake a cake from scratch the muggle way for your birthday. You do remember you’re a witch, right, darling?” Narcissa teased, placing a kiss on the sensitive skin just behind her ear. “There are lots of magical recipes and spells that do not ruin the taste of the food. At the very least you could let the appliances do all the work so that you can focus on more important... things.”

A shudder travelled down Hermione’s spine and she turned around in her wife’s arms to place a soft kiss on her lips. “I know, but after we visited my parents yesterday, I felt like it. I just don’t ever want to forget my heritage, you know,” Hermione murmured, looking into Narcissa’s icy blue eyes. “You look stunning, Cissy.”

Appreciative brown eyes travelled down a silver necklace and a formfitting silver dress, all the way to Narcissa’s silver stilettos, before returning to her eyes. Narcissa smirked mischievously as her hands travelled to undo the knot lying on the small of Hermione’s back. “As do you, my little baker, this apron is absolutely delightful.”

Hermione chuckled but moved to still the wandering hands, before placing another kiss on Narcissa’s lips. “Perhaps it should stay on, then, hmm?” 

The blonde’s smirk turned positively evil, while hungry eyes roamed over Hermione’s body. “It can definitely be the only thing that stays on.”

Tendrils of heat started curling in on themselves in Hermione’s abdomen, a small whimper leaving her mouth. In an attempt to control herself, she put her head on her wife’s shoulder and pulled her into a tight embrace. “While I would love nothing less, I still have to get ready, and I can’t exactly be late to my own birthday party. Everyone should be here in about thirty minutes, I think.”

Narcissa’s arms tightened around the brunette’s waist, while she slightly turned her head to press a kiss to her wife’s hair. “I know, I was just teasing you, my love. On both accounts. You know I love you so much for staying true to yourself, and that I love you all the more for trying to teach me about all things muggle. Go on up and change, darling, I’ll make sure everything is ready for the party.”

Hermione thanked her with a final kiss and walked up the stairs to their bedroom. Narcissa had already taken out her casual navy suit for her, so she quickly put it on and slipped on a pair of smart suede black lace-ups. While she tried to decide on a hairstyle, her eyes were drawn to the wedding photos on their nightstands. Big grins and sparkling eyes amidst slowly falling cherry blossom petals greeted her. 

It was a stark contrast with how Hermione had felt when the war ended. Had anyone told her all that time ago that she would be here, in this home that she shared with her wife, she would have thought them delusional.

After the Second Wizarding War ended, Hermione had not been sure what to do with her life. Everyone around her started picking up the pieces to their broken lives and careers, those lost to the fight were buried and paid final respects, and the Ministry was reorganised to flush out the dark. Even Hogwarts was rebuilt within only a few months, leaving no trace of the final battle that took place in its hallowed halls.

For Hermione, however, it did not seem to be that simple. How could she just move on with her life when the most important part was missing? She knew that erasing her parents’ memories and sending them off to Australia had been the safest thing to do. Seeing the damage left by the Death Eaters searching her childhood home had, while expected, shocked Hermione into the realisation that her parents would have died, had she not forced them to leave. But the relief of knowing that her parents were alive and safe changed nothing about the fact that she missed them like hell and wished that she had never needed to send them away.

Meanwhile, the world kept turning and all captured Death Eaters were given a trial before the Wizengamot. While it had already been suspicious that Bellatrix Lestrange had been absent from the Great Hall at the time of Voldemort’s downfall, it became quite clear during her trial that the madwoman had lost faith in his cause a long time ago. In hope of rehabilitating the witch, she was charged with mandatory attendance to mental health programs and house arrest, along with a large sum as compensation for all the damage caused.

In the end, it was Narcissa who helped Hermione track down her parents in Australia and healed their minds. After her immediate divorce from Lucius, and Harry’s testimony to her part in the final battle, the Wizengamot saw fit to clear her of all charges. Her natural ability in Legilimency and Occlumency, together with her wicked fast mind, granted her a position among St. Mungo’s finest healers, dealing with all sorts of mind magic.

Initially, Hermione was reluctant to approach the youngest Black sister and ask for help. Even though the charges against her had been dropped, Hermione’s personal history with both Narcissa and Bellatrix prevented her from seeing past their blood supremacism. The two Black sisters had apologised profusely and healed the cursed wound so that only a faint scar remained, but she couldn’t help but stay wary of their ulterior motives.

Desperation struck when sleepless nights spent researching memory restoration got her no closer to safely bringing her parents back, and even then it took an intervention from Andromeda for Hermione to really consider asking the blonde for help. Their first meeting was painfully awkward, Hermione not yet ready to fully forgive Narcissa for the one thing the woman would always feel guilty for. By spending time with her, however, Hermione quickly realised that there was nothing the blonde could have done that day in Malfoy Manor. 

As time went on, the women not only got closer to a solution, they also grew closer together, revelling in their shared love for books and knowledge. By the time Hermione was ready to bring her parents back, she was happy to call Narcissa her friend, even if she sometimes wished it could be more. When the youngest Black sister announced that she would accompany the bushy-haired girl to Australia, Hermione couldn’t help but blurt out about her crush on the woman. The embarrassment she had felt was only slightly alleviated by the smirk that grew on Narcissa’s lips and the incessant teasing that started afterwards. 

The doorbell, followed by cheerful voices, woke Hermione from her reverie and she chuckled at the memory of how she got her first date with her now-wife. She honestly still couldn’t believe sometimes how incredibly lucky she was.

“Better get on with it then, or I’ll still be late to my own party,” Hermione mumbled as she turned to look at her bushy hair in the mirror. A quick spell, taught to her by Narcissa, tamed and styled her hair so that it lay in gentle curls over her left shoulder.

With a last look at herself in the mirror, she left the bedroom and walked down the stairs towards the laughter and music drifting from the living room. It seemed all her friends had arrived at the same time because as Hermione rounded the corner into the living room, they were already sitting and chatting amongst one another. The party might seem small to outsiders, but after the big wedding last spring, small was exactly what she needed. 

“Hermione!” 

Harry was the first who noticed her and stood up excitedly to give her a tight hug Hermione gladly returned. Soon everyone was standing to greet the woman, and in between the birthday wishes, she shared a soft smile with her wife who was sitting on the loveseat next to the fireplace. She should have known something was coming from the mischievous glint in Harry’s eyes, but she dismissed it and went to sit next to Narcissa.

As soon as she sat down though, the radio stopped and Harry started to sing a birthday song, nudging Draco at his side to join in. Hermione groaned and pressed her face into Narcissa’s shoulder to hide her embarrassment. She heard Bella’s cackle before she too started singing, and not long after, the room was filled with everyone’s voices.

The feeling of her wife’s hand on her cheek coaxed her to slightly turn her head towards the room, a small smile on her lips. Despite her embarrassment and awkwardness at being sung to, she felt warm affection in her chest for their small group of close friends.

“You know I’m no longer an eleven-year-old, right?” 

“Well, we know, but seeing as this is your first birthday as a married woman, we thought we’d make sure you didn’t feel too old,” Harry grinned.

“Oh, Harry, the moment you and Draco are married, you’re gonna get it. I already have some ideas, want to help, Gin?”

Ginny smirked at Harry. “Definitely. I’m all for embarrassing my ex-boyfriend, ‘Mione.”

After a weak protest from Harry, he turned up the radio again and they turned back to their previous conversations. Hermione looked around and saw that everyone had been provided with a drink, but the cake was still in the kitchen. She put her hand on Narcissa’s shoulder to get her attention.

“I’m just quickly going to get the cake, do you need anything else?”

“I don’t need anything, but let me get it, it’s your birthday, darling,” the blonde smiled before standing.

The moment Narcissa had left, Bellatrix took her place on the loveseat. Andromeda, who had previously been in a conversation with Luna and Ginny, joined them with an amused smile.

“You know, ‘Mione, I was planning on getting you a divorce lawyer, but then I realised that you probably won’t need it.”

Andy cleared her throat, looking at Bella imploringly.

“That, and Andy dear didn’t think it would send the right signal.”

Hermione was stunned into silence, opening and closing her mouth a few times before finding her voice. It was at moments like these that the mental problems Bellatrix still struggled with shone through, no matter how hard Narcissa had tried to heal her sister’s mind.

“Andy might have had the correct idea. I also don’t think I will ever need one, Bella.”

“Yes, well, if you change your mind after tonight, just owl me, and I’ll set you up,” the oldest Black sister grinned.

“Set Hermione up with what, exactly, Bella? You’re not offering your divorce lawyer to my wife, are you?”

Narcissa walked back into the living room, plates with slices of cake floating behind her. Her voice sounded cold, but there was an amused glint in her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. Bellatrix shrugged innocently but the smirk on her lips said it all.

With a mischievous smile, Hermione pulled the blonde onto her lap, wrapping her arms around her middle. “You know, she did say something about tonight. You do remember our agreement, right?”

“Small presents, I know. Don’t worry, darling.”

“Well, no matter Bella’s first idea, we thought of a more appropriate and small present eventually.”

Andromeda procured a small package from a pocket in her robes and transformed it to its original size. After a small kiss to the nape of her neck, Hermione removed her arms from around her wife’s waist to accept the present from Andy. Narcissa chose to remain seated on the young witch’s lap but moved slightly so that she could watch her unwrap the present. 

The Golden Girl smiled at the beautiful leather journal that was revealed beneath the wrapping paper. The Black family crest was pressed into the black leather on both the front and the back and as she flicked through some of the pages, Hermione revelled at the expensive feeling of the parchment. Excitedly, she thanked the two eldest Black sisters.

“It’s handmade and charmed with old Black family magic so only you and the people you want can read whatever is written in it,” the middle sister explained, “just tap the page with your wand and say the names you want to include.”

“That is so clever and useful, thank you both!” 

Narcissa moved off of her lap and went to sit next to her sisters so that the young brunette could give them a hug. As Hermione then placed the journal on the end table, her best friend pressed a couple more presents into her hands. Harry gestured at her to open them, so she held on to one and put the rest in her lap.

“These are from the rest of us together. We heard about your new assistant and thought you could use... well, all of this, really.”

“Don’t get me started on my assistant, my God. I know Jessica was due a promotion and absolutely ready to start her own research, but by Morgana, I miss her already. This new boy is fresh out of Hogwarts and has no respect for quills or parchment whatsoever.”

Everyone snickered and she knew she was probably being a tad too intense, but they all knew how passionate she could get about parchment and stationery in general. Her eyes lit up when the wrapping paper fell away from the first present.

“Ohh, a new Hippogriff feather quill, thank you! I still don’t know how my assistant managed to lose my favourite one, you know? I left for my break one afternoon, and it was gone when I returned. Oh well, luckily quills are easily replaced, especially with friends like you,” the brunette smiled at them.

“And these inks are so pretty! I was nearly out of ink, how did you know? So many colours as well, but Scribbulus doesn’t sell these, I think, where did you find all these? Oh, wait! Are these from that new shop across Ollivanders? I haven’t had the time to go there yet. We absolutely _must_ visit next weekend, Cissa!”

Hermione knew she was rambling, but one look at Narcissa and the unmistakable love in her eyes made her embarrassment disappear like snow before the sun. 

“I’d love that, darling,” the blonde smiled widely and nodded.

The Gryffindor returned the smile and felt herself getting lost in the sparkling blue eyes of her wife.

“These two are so in love, it’s nearly sickening.”

Of course, Bellatrix had to break the moment, her snickering pulling Hermione’s attention from her wife’s eyes towards the other people in the room. She felt her cheeks heating up at being caught staring at her wife. Luckily, Ginny came to her rescue.

“We got everything at Papyrus & Parchment Provisions, yeah! You’re gonna love it, it is very complementary to Scribbulus, I think. Now, open your last present, ‘Mione, I’m excited to see your face!”

Curious as to what could be contained in the last package, Hermione quickly undid the wrapping. Her eyes widened at what she saw. Proper tools to take care of your quills and parchment?!

“This is the best present you could have ever given me, thanks so much, guys!”

The brunette stood up and gave all her friends a big hug to thank them for their thoughtful presents. She then sat down in between Neville and Luna on the large sofa.

“How are the first-years doing this year, Neville? Have they been settling in nicely these first few weeks?”

With Neville’s response, the conversations started up again, and the rest of the evening was filled with laughter and reminiscence of their own schooldays. Later, when everyone had left and Hermione closed the front door, Narcissa pulled her into an embrace.

“Are you ready for your last surprise, my little lion? Close your eyes and open them only when I tell you to.”

Hermione closed her eyes with a smile and nodded that she was ready, tightening her grip on the blonde’s waist in preparation of Side-Along Apparition. The feeling of being pulled through a tight tube was anything but pleasant, and she moved a hand to Narcissa’s shoulder to steady herself once she felt solid ground beneath her feet.

The first thing Hermione noticed was the delicious smell of old books and treated wood. Then, the sound of a wand moving through the air reached the brunette’s ears, and soon after, she felt her wife’s hand on her cheek. Narcissa’s voice was soft against the shell of her ear.

“You can open your eyes now, my darling.”

A soft gasp left her mouth as the Golden Girl laid eyes on the sight before her. They were standing in a beautiful and old but cosy library, filled with walnut bookcases and old tomes. The library did not seem to be that large; if she had to guess, Hermione would say there were around a dozen bookcases set about the room and another dozen lining the walls. 

But what it lacked in space, it made up for in ambience. Everywhere Hermione looked, small candles were burning. On top of bookcases, on the desk in the middle of the room and the side tables next to the armchairs. Others were floating about the space in simple yet elegant glass holders. In front of the armchairs, a fire was burning in a large stone fireplace.

The Gryffindor looked around in amazement. “Cissy, this library is absolutely beautiful. Did you book a private midnight visit? And how did you convince the owner to allow lit candles?”

Narcissa chuckled and took her wife’s hand in hers. “I bought it for you. The entire space is warded against fire damage, so the candles and fireplace pose no danger to the books.”

Hermione’s jaw dropped and she was left to search for words other than those her wife already said. “You... bought a library? For me?”

“I thought this could perhaps be a place you could go to -we could go to- when we want to hide from the world. Like a safe haven. You could do some of your research here if the office ever becomes too much to bear. We could read together in the armchairs by the fire or just cuddle in its warmth and talk. If you want that.”

The brunette smiled at the thought of returning to this library whenever she wanted. “Where exactly are we?”

“This used to be the Muggle church to the people of Glenfinnan before the Ministry decided to put a Muggle-repelling-ward on the train viaduct in this valley. The Hogwarts Express caused too many breaches to the Statute of Secrecy, especially after Harry and Mr Weasley were spotted with that flying car. A few Witches and Wizards are now living in the village, I believe, but the Ministry didn’t know what to do with the church. So, I offered to take it off their hands.”

Hermione chuckled at the thought going through her head. “This is not exactly a small present though, is it?”

“It cost me much less than you probably think, and you are worth every Galleon to me, my dear,” Narcissa smiled. “Besides, I didn’t really know what else to give you now that we’re already married.”

Hermione beamed up at her wife’s teasing smile and placed her hand at her cheek. “I would love to cuddle up and read by that fire with you any day, Cissa, thank you.”

She pulled the youngest Black sister into a kiss, sliding her hand into the soft hair at the back of her head. Narcissa responded quickly, her hands pulling the woman closer by her waist, and she nipped at Hermione’s bottom lip. They broke apart when the need for breath became too large.

Slightly pulling away from the blonde, Hermione looked around again and then stepped towards a bookcase to gently slide her fingers over some of the spines. “You really bought all this, just for me?” she asked for a second time that night, looking back at Narcissa with a soft smile.

“Well, I mean I also bought it for me. I can’t wait to have you at my mercy against one of those gorgeous bookshelves,” the blonde smirked, earning a gasp from her wife.

An indignant blush crept up to Hermione’s ears. “H- How can you think that I would ever do such a- a thing to all these books?”

Narcissa stared at her for a second, before a full belly laugh erupted from her mouth, her head thrown back. Hermione’s insides warmed at the sight of her wife’s mirth. 

“Oh, of course I know that you wouldn’t, but I love that I can still make you stutter and blush, my little lion,” the youngest Black sister said, lips stretching into a fond smile. She offered her hand to her Golden girl. “Let’s go home now, shall we?”

Wanting to return the favour, Hermione grinned and took Narcissa’s hand in hers to pull her close. Maintaining eye contact for as long as possible, she slowly brought her lips to the blonde’s ear. “Take me home, Mrs Black.”


End file.
